Equipment protecting electrical circuit breaker

ABSTRACT

A compact equipment protecting electrical circuit breaker having a short-circuit and excess current tripping action as well as a signal change switch for actuating and protecting household appliances, office machines, manufacturing devices and the like, includes a breaker and tripping mechanism which is a combination of a cocking body (5) with an unlatching lever (4) supported therein, a tilting contact piece (6), and a cam lever (14) with the functional inclusion of several spring elements. The combination is mounted on a common axis in a central location below the operating mechanism (1-3) and between the hinged armature system (8) and a bimetal strip (10). The combination is further located or mounted above an arc quenching chamber (12) and above a signal change switch contact device (13) and above the various breaker terminals (15). The change switch has its own terminals for signalling the instantaneous operating condition of the circuit breaker.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a single- or multi-pole compact circuit breakerof narrow construction for protecting equipment. Such circuit breakerconstitutes an operating element of the equipment and is installed in amultiplicity of electrical apparatus and devices such as householdapplicances, office machines, control devices for manufacturing andassembling automats and the like. The circuit breaker acts as an on-offswitch and protects the respective circuits and loads against shortcircuits and overloads, in addition to the simultaneous switch function.In most instances heretofore a separate fine-wire fuse or a melting fusewas provided for the protection separate from the on-off switch. Suchfuse must be replaced after each defect and the replacement is costlyand involved.

The present protection circuit breaker is comparable in its generalconstruction and function to the known power line circuit breakercomprising a mechanical cocking drive for operating a breaker contactarrangement which may be switched on manually and which may be freelytripped either manually, electromagnetically, and electrothermally. Thebreaker contact arrangement is located in front of a spark quenchingdevice. Such line protecting circuit breaker is, however, as a rule,continuously switched on and it is required that the circuit breaker canbe switched on again after the removal of a fault following a shortcircuit or excess current tripping.

Contrary thereto, the equipment protecting electrical circuit breakerconstitutes in its function a switch element which is frequentlyoperated manually. Such switch element is additionally constructed toassume the above mentioned protection or monitoring functions so thatthe need for a separate safety fuse within the user current circuit maybe obviated. Additionally, it is desirable to provide the equipmentswitch, or rather, the equipment protecting circuit breaker with afurther contact arrangement as an auxiliary feature. Such a feature issupposed to provide an information of the respective switch or breakercondition in accordance with its switched on or switched off positionwithin a separate signal or control current circuit. Thus, the auxiliaryfeature shall be able to indicate in a suitable manner the operationalcondition of the electrical appliance. The indication may, for example,be optical or acoustical. In the alternative or additionally theauxiliary feature may control other auxiliary units in accordance withthe switch position or the switch condition of the circuit breaker.

In connection with the known power line circuit breakers or excesscurrent protectors of the above mentioned type which are substantiallylarger, it is known to provide these excess current or line circuitbreakers with an auxiliary switch as disclosed in German PatentPublication (DE-OS No. 3,038,511). In this connection such auxiliaryfeature, however, does not pose any special difficulties because thespacial arrangement of the switching and tripping mechanism in the upperportion of the conventional circuit breakers makes it generally possibleto also install in this zone an auxiliary contact arrangement withoutany substantial modification. The contact arrangement is operatedsynchronously with the movable main contact of the breaker. Theauxiliary contact arrangement has a smaller load rating and respectivelyit requires little space so that its installation is relatively easy.

On the other hand, substantial difficulties are encountered inconnection with the equipment protecting circuit breaker disclosedherein if the additional accommodating of switching means, trippingmembers, and a quenching device is required in the space availableinside the circuit breaker if its outer dimensions are not to deviate,or to deviate only insignificantly, from the installation dimensions ofprior art on-off switches without such protective features. This factexplains why heretofore the constructor did not even consider providingan equipment protecting circuit breaker with a further contactarrangement.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above it is the aim of the invention to achieve thefollowing objects singly or in combination:

to develop an equipment protecting circuit breaker in which theprotecting device against short circuits and overloads may be installedin combination with a changing switch contact arrangement for signallingor control purposes;

to achieve such installation by a suitable construction and arrangementof all structural elements within the given dimensional range of anormal built-in switch construction; and

to construct a protective circuit breaker as an equipment on-off switchin combination with a signalling switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects have been achieved according to the invention in anequipment protecting circuit breaker wherein the entire breakermechanism comprises the combination of a cocking body having a pluralityof functional projections, a V-shaped flat unlatching lever, a movabletilting contact piece and a single arm cam lever for the signal changingswitch, wherein the entire breaker mechanism is tiltably supported on acommon rotation axis in a central location in a housing or base, wherebythe combination components cooperate in their function and whereincertain components are supported relative to each other and allcomponents are supported relative to a housing by means of individualspring elements.

Due to this special construction and centralization of the breakermechanism and due to its arrangement on a common rotational axis it isnow possible to distribute the operating as well as the operatedelements of the entire equipment protecting circuit breaker in a verylimited space in the plane around such a breaker mechanism and tofunctionally couple these elements with the breaker mechanism.

Accordingly, the breaker mechanism comprises altogether four individuallever members tiltably supported on the same rotation axis in thebreaker housing or on the base and it includes further three springelements. Thus, the basic member is the cocking body made of insulatingmaterial on the frontside of which there are provided functionalprojections extending from its three corner points. The cocking body isrotated by a lever spring in the direction toward the off position. Thelever spring is wound around a flange on the rear side of the cockingbody. An unlatching lever, a movable tilting contact piece, and a camlever for the signal changing switch are arranged in the space betweenthe three functional projections of the cocking body. The unlatchinglever and the movable tilting contact piece are made as stamped partswhile the cam lever is made of synthetic material. Thus, the V-shapedflat unlatching lever cooperates through its bail shaped elongated pawlleg with the upper functional projection against which the unlatchinglever bears additionally with a counter leg under the pressure of a pawlspring. The tilting contact member mounted on the cocking body ispressed by a spring causing the contact pressure, into the furtherreaching guide notch of the left functional projection. The contactcausing spring is effective on the switching arm of the tilting contactpiece and supports itself in front of the right functional projection.Thus, due to this guide play, the left functional projection is capableof being instantaneously effective on the switching arm when the circuitbreaker is tripped. Additionally, a flexible cable conductorconductively connects one arm of a T-shaped extension of the tiltingcontact piece in the zone of its support.

This type of assembly has, compared to prior art cocking devices, theadvantage that the unlatching lever and the movable tilting contactpiece require a small spring excursion on the one hand while therebyassuring, on the other hand, a larger spring constant. Such advantagesare achieved by the combined supporting and spring biasing of theunlatching lever and of the movable tilting contact piece by means ofthe corresponding pawl spring and pressure contact spring relative tothe same movable cocking body of the breaker mechanism, as compared toprior art cocking devices in which the respective spring elements areindividually supported relative to the housing.

A cam lever is loosely mounted on the rotation axis of these three levermembers. The cam lever is provided for operating the contact arrangementof the signal changing switch in response to the switch-on or switch-offrotational movement of the cocking body. Thus, either the rightfunctional projection or the left functional projection of the cockingbody is effective on the central switch-over contact for tilting thecentral switch-over contact in one or the other switching direction.This overall arrangement of the breaker mechanism is then simply held inor on the breaker housing by means of a cover which is stuck on, wherebythe cover slides in a form locking manner over the common rotationalaxis, thereby assuring the free movability of the breaker mechanism.

BRIEF FIGURE DESCRIPTION

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will now bedescribed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the overall view of the circuit breaker in its switched-on,circuit closed position with the cover shown in section;

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section along section line 2--2 in FIG. 1through the circuit breaker in the zone of its circuit breakermechanism; and

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section along section line 3--3 in FIG. 1 at thelevel of the rotational support of the circuit breaker mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS AND OF THE BESTMODE OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view on a scale of 2.5:1 relative to the size ofan actual embodiment. FIG. 1 shows that the circuit breaker mechanism islocated approximately centrally in a housing or base 20 made ofinsulating material. The circuit breaker is flat as best seen in FIGS. 2and 3. The circuit breaker mechanism is assembled to comprise severallever and spring members whereby the circuit breaker mechanism islocated between an electromagnetic tripping device 21 arranged on theleft side of the circuit breaker and an electrothermal tripping device22 arranged on the right side of the circuit breaker. Further, thecircuit breaker mechanism is located below an outwardly reachingoperating toggle lever 1 as well as above a contact device 6, 7 and aquenching device 23 of the circuit breaker. The circuit breakermechanism is further located above a contact arrangement of a signalchanging switch having a movable center contact 13 connected to a firststationary center terminal 25, and movable for cooperation with one orthe other of two stationary terminals 24' and 24". Further terminals 15form part of the circuit to be switched on or off and to be protected.The terminals 24', 24" and 25 form part of the separate signallingcircuit as will be described below.

Switching-on of the equipment protecting circuit breaker takes placewith the aid of a knuckle or toggle joint coupling 30 through theconnecting member 2 by counterclockwise tilting of the operating toggle1 rotatable on a stud 1' against the force of its return spring 26. Allmovements of the connecting member 2 and of its crosswise extendingpressure pin 3 are guided by a bail 4' of an unlatching lever 4. Theconnecting member 2 engages with its pin 3 an upper functionalprojection 5a of a cocking body 5 of the breaker mechanism. Theprojection 5a forms a guide slot for the bail 4'. When the cocking body5 is moved in the opposite clockwise rotational direction against theforce of its return spring 27 the unlatching lever 4 follows thepressure pin 3 under the effect of its pawl spring 28 the upper end ofwhich bears against the projection 5a. The unlatching lever 4 and thecocking body 5 are supported on the same rotation axis 29. In the courseof this clockwise motion, the pressure pin 3 is hooked under the bailshaped extension 4' of the unlatching lever 4, whereby the circuitbreaker mechanism is in the cocked condition after the operating knucklejoint coupling 30 tilts over its dead point against the effect of theforce of the leg spring 27 of the cocking body 5 and of the leg spring26 of the operating toggle 1. Simultaneously, with the displacement ofboth pawl legs or extensions 4', 4" of the unlatching lever 4 into theirrespective tripping position, the tilting contact piece 6 of the contactarrangement of the circuit breaker has been brought into conductingcontact with the fixed contact 7. The tilting contact piece 6 is mountedfor tilting with the cocking body 5 of the circuit breaker mechanism onthe same rotation axis 29. Once engagement of the contacts 6 and 7 isestablished, a sufficient excess stroke in the rotational movement ofthe left functional projection 5c of the cocking body 5 makes sure thatthe required contact pressure is established by means of a coil spring48 which is supported between the contact piece 6 and a right functionalprojection 5b of the cocking body 5. The left functional projection 5cof the cocking body 5 guides the contact piece 6 and moves the contactpiece 6 for opening the contact 6, 7. The cocking body 5 is made ofinsulating material.

If now a short circuit current seven to ten times larger than the ratedcurrent, flows through the circuit breaker as the result of a defect,this short circuit current energizes the hinged armature system 8through the turns of the winding 31 whereupon the magnetic armature 9biased by a tension spring 32 is pulled down against the bias force ofthe spring 32 for releasing the entire circuit breaker mechanism bymeans of the leg 4" of the unlatching lever 4 which is located oppositethe magnetic armature 9. As a result, the other leg or bail shapedextension 4' of the unlatching lever 4 releases the operating elementswhich have been latched with the pressure pin 3 under its bail shapedextension 4'. Hence, the spring loaded operating toggle 1 snaps backclockwise into a starting position and so does the spring loaded circuitbreaker mechanism by means of its cocking body 5 to assume itsrespective starting position in which the contacts 6, 7 are open. Duringthis operation the two spring elements 26 and 27 are initially effectivetogether on the cocking body 5 until the latter has completely openedthe path between the contact pieces 6 and 7. When the contacts 6 and 7are separated the cocking body 5 rests on a stop 9' provided in thehousing 20. Thereafter, the leg spring 26 of the operating toggle 1merely returns the latter into its starting position. The stop 9' alsomay function as a stop for the armature 9 when the spring 32 urges thearmature 9 against the stop 9'.

Further, the excess stroke imparted to the cocking body 5 during theswitching-on operation enables the lower functional projection 5c tobecome instantaneously, so to speak, effective on the arm of the contactpiece 6 at the moment of a short circuit tripping to thereby cause avery rapid, as well as effective contact separation which, among others,prevents a contact welding.

On the other hand, if only a larger excess current flows through thecircuit breaker due to a prolonged overloading of the utilizationcircuit being monitored, this condition becomes effective on the thermaltripping device 22 instead of an energization of the electromagnetictripping device 21 with its armature system 8 forming a short circuitmonitoring device. The thermal tripping device 22 includes a bimetalstrip 10 connected electrically in series with the short circuitmonitoring electromagnetic tripping device 21. In this situation thecurrent of the connected utilization device flows through a resistor 33which heats the bimetal strip 10 more or less, thereby causing the stripto respectively rapidly and strongly assume a bend directed inwardly ofthe circuit breaker. If this bent displacement is larger than the valuewhich has been adjusted by means of an adjusting device 11 provided inthe connection and mounting zone of the bimetal strip 10, then the strip10 encounters with its free end the bail shaped extension 4' of theunlatching lever 4 and presses it out of the latching with the pressurepin 3 of the actuating elements and thus starts in the same manner thetripping operation which has been described for the short circuitcondition. The free release feature provided for the circuit breakermechanism makes sure in both instances that the circuit breaker cannotbe switched on again as long as the cause for its tripping is present.

When the equipment protecting circuit breaker is switched off manuallyunder load as well as when the breaker is tripped in response to a shortcircuit or an overload, an energy rich switching arc is formed acrossthe contact interruption location formed by the contact pieces 6 and 7.Such arc is driven rapidly away from the points of its generation intoan adjacent quenching chamber 12 of the arc quenching device 23 due tothe V-shaped blowing loop formed by the arrangement of the tiltingcontact piece 6 with the fixed contact piece 7 and the connectinglocation of the latter. The arc thereby remains with one of its endpoints in continuous contact with a guide baffle 34 leading from thefixed contact piece 7 into the quenching chamber 12, whereas the sparkover of the other end point is substantially facilitated by theextension of the oppositely arranged guide baffle 35 into the near zoneof the tilting contact piece 6. Thereupon, the arc column is split upinto partial arcs when it impinges on the facing ends of the threeferromagnetic quenching baffles 36 within the chamber 12. The split uparc is cooled between the baffles and deionized. Thereafter, thegenerated arc gases and the air cushion driven in front of the arc mayescape safely and free of any rebound, into the environment through theventing slots 37 provided between the baffles and the housing wall.

The additional signal changing switch 13 of the equipment protectingcircuit breaker has a tilting center contact 13' loaded or biased by aspring 43. The center contact 13' is brought mechanically into snapcontact with one or the other of the fixed contact pieces 24', 24" ofthe signal change switch 13. This is accomplished by the cam lever 14 inaccordance with the switching-on or the switching-off or trippingmovement of the cocking body 5. The cam lever 14 is supported on thesame rotation axis 29 as the cocking body 5 of the circuit breakermechanism. The unlatching lever 4 as well as with the tilting contactpiece 6 are also supported on said axis 29. In this simple manner it ispossible to switch other circuits in precise synchronism with theoperational condition of the switched and simultaneously monitoredelectrical appliance, thereby requiring a minimum of space. For example,it is possible to optically signal the instantaneous circuit breakerposition or the present operational condition. In the alternative it ispossible to respectively control auxiliary devices in dependency on thecircuit breaker position or the present operational condition.

The operation and further features of the present circuit breaker willnow be described. The switching-on and the switching-off operation ofthe equipment protecting circuit breaker is accomplished with the aid ofsaid operating toggle 1 extending out of the housing and through a cover38 of the housing 20. The operating toggle 1 is tiltably supported onsaid axle stud 1' of the housing and its tilting takes place against theresetting force of said leg spring 26 operatively mounted to beeffective between the stud 1' and the toggle 1. The operating toggle 1is coupled with its inwardly reaching extension in the manner of atoggle joint 30 with the H-shaped coupling member 2 in the free end ofwhich there is inserted the crosswise extending pressure pin 3. Thepressure pin 3 is effective on the upper functional projection 5a of thecocking body 5 during the switching-on action, whereby the pressure pin3 shifts the entire breaker mechanism beyond a dead point against theresetting force of the leg springs 26, 27 of the operating toggle 1 andof the cocking body 5. In this operation the unlatching lever 4 loadedby the compression spring 28 follows the cocking body 5. The unlatchinglever 4 comprises on the inner side of the bail shaped extension of therespective unlatching lever arm a detent groove into which the pressurepin 3 may hook. Additionally, these elements enforce a guiding of thetoggle joint connector member 2 in case of a free tripping as a resultof which the operating toggle 1 should spring back. This feature saves areturn spring for returning the pressure pin 3 into its latched positionsince a return spring would be necessary without this feature.

The electromagnetic tripping device 21, operating as a short circuitmonitor for the circuit breaker, is constructed as a hinged armaturesystem 8 which is mounted with its magnetic core and the exciter winding31 enclosed in a U-manner by the magnetic yoke on the left narrow sideof the housing 20, whereby it is inserted in a respective profiledhousing section. Additionally, the armature 9 of the tripping mechanismis hinged at 40 to an extension of the outer magnet yoke leg from whenceit is cocked by means of the tension spring 32. The hinged armature 9reaches with its free end, which normally rests against the stop 9' whenthe winding 31 is not energized, into the functional zone of theneighboring circuit breaker mechanism in order to encounter the secondpawl leg 4" of the unlatching lever 4 when, due to a short circuittripping of the circuit breaker the winding 31 is sufficiently energizedto attract the armature 9 for moving the second pawl leg 4"counterclockwise to thereby separate the contacts 6, 7. Due to thisarrangement one achieves additionally a defined correlation of thehinged armature 9 relative to the magnetic yoke 39. Such correlationmakes it unnecessary, as far as the precise dimensioning of the air gapbetween the magnet and the armature 9 is concerned, to provided for anadjustment thereof and it also makes any subsequent correctionunnecessary.

The electrothermal tripping mechanism 22 of the circuit breakercomprises the bimetal strip 10 for protection against overloads. Theelectrothermal tripping mechanism is arranged adjacent to the breakermechanism on the right hand narrow side of the housing 20.

The bimetal strip 10 comprises an adjustment device 11 above its insertmounting in a respective profiled section of the housing 20. Theadjustment device 11 is accessible from the outside through a hole 41 inthe cover 38 and serves for adjusting the precise thermal trippingpoint. The bimetal strip 10 extends downward to merge into one of theouter connector terminals 15. Additionally, the adjusting device 11which is secured to the connector terminal 15, for example by welding,is constructed as a single piece together with the arc guide baffle 35for the quenching device 23 further described below. On other side, thefree operating end of the bimetal strip 10 is located opposite the bailshaped extension 4' of the pawl arm of the unlatching lever 4 of thecircuit breaker mechanism, in order to start the tripping of the circuitbreaker by a respective displacement due to an overload causing abending of the bimetal strip 10. The contact interruption locationformed by the fixed contact piece 7 and by the movable tilting contactpiece 6 is arranged directly in front of the quenching chamber 12 forthe resulting switching arc. The quenching chamber 12 in its turnextends in the space under the hinged armature system, whereby it fitsinto the lower portion of the circuit breaker housing 20 next to thesignal changing switch 13. The quenching chamber 12 comprises two ormore ferromagnetic quenching baffles 34, 35, 36 and is provided with therearwardly extending gas exit slots 37. The quenching baffles areinserted in the longitudinal grooves of the housing 20 to extendapproximately in parallel to one another. The outer baffles 34 and 35are arc guide baffles located on both longitudinal sides of the innerquenching baffles 36. The arc guide baffles 34 and 35 extend all the wayinto the contact zone of the contact pieces 6, 7. One guide baffle 34forms with its upper end the fixed contact piece 7 of the circuitbreaker and simultaneously, the connection point for the end of theexciter winding 31 of the hinged armature system 8. The other guidebaffle 35, as already mentioned, is constructed as a single piece withthe adjustment device 11 for the bimetal strip 10 and is mechanically aswell as electrically directly connected with the respective connectionterminal 15 through a connector 42 such as a rivet or welding. It isfurther important that the contact pair 6, 7 is provided with layers ofsilver opposing silver cadmium oxide layers which assures a very lowvoltage drop and a high resistance against arcing and contact burning aswell as an ability to prevent contact welding of the contactarrangement. The just stated advantages are further advantageouslyinfluenced at the time of tripping by the rapid separation of thecontacts 6, 7 by the cocking body 5 of the circuit breaker mechanism. Inits overall evaluation the embodiment disclosed herein achieves that theblow loop formed by the V-shape of the contact arrangements 6 and 7itself drives the arc resulting from the opening of the circuit breakervery rapidly from the two contacts 6 and 7 along the guide baffles 34,35 into the quenching chamber 12 wherein the arc is divided, cooled, anddeionized by means of the baffles 36, whereupon the air cushion in frontof the arc and the gases generated by the arc may escape into theenvironment without any danger through the gaps 37.

The signal changing switch 13 is arranged between the quenching chamber12 and the connecting mounting member 42 for the bimetal strip 10.Incidentally, the bimetal strip 10 is electrically connected to thetilting contact piece 6 through a flexible conductor 44.

The signal changing switch 13 comprises the two fixed contact pieces 49and 50 which are inserted into the housing bottom and which reachoutwardly with their connecting terminals 24' and 24" respectively. Thetiltable center contact piece 13' is supported between the fixed contactpieces 49 and 50 on a projection of a further connecting terminal 25reaching into the housing 20. The switch-over center contact piece 13'is biased by a spring 43 forming with the center contact piece a toggledevice which is provided with an operating projection in addition to itsdouble contact rivet. The operating projection is gripped in the mannerof a fork by the cam lever 14 of the circuit breaker mechanism fortilting in accordance with the switching-on and switching-off operationor rather the tripping operation thereof, however, electricallyindependent of the switching and monitoring function of the equipmentprotecting circuit breaker as such. The tilting from one into the otherswitched position of the contact piece 13' takes place synchronously, inan auxiliary manner so to speak, to the monitoring function in order tosignal the main operating condition that has been caused or is presentin a suitable manner, for example by a buzzer or light, or to controlother operations. The lever 14 is journalled on the axis 29 and operatedby the projections 5b and 5c of the cocking body 5.

With regard to the manufacturing and assembling features of theequipment protecting circuit breaker according to the invention, it ispossible that the individual parts may be inserted and mounted in thehousing 20 made of insulating material, either singly or as alreadypreassembled combinations in a functional manner, whereby the housing isprepared and constructed for this purpose. The insertion may take placeby hand or partially even by machine. Additionally, the assembledhousing and its spacial shape is constructed as an insert which isprovided with the cover 38 made of insulating material which closes thehousing and reaches over both narrow sides of the housing as shown at 45and 46. This cover 38 completely covers on the one side the mountingspace of the circuit breaker, thereby functioning simultaneously as asafety against the loosening of the inserted parts and as a touchprotection as well as a protection against contamination. On the otherhand, it makes possible on the front side of the built-in type circuitbreaker the unhindered access of the operating toggle 1 while leavingfreely accessible at the underside thereof for the various connectionterminals 15, 24', 24" and 25. Finally, in the fully assembled positionof the cover 38 on the housing 20, the cover 38 is elastically, butreleasably hooked latched to the housing 20 by latching elementsprovided on the rear side of the housing 20 and on the cover 38. Suchlatching elements are conventional, e.g. a projection snapping into ahole. Further, the cover is provided on both of its outer narrow sideswith spring tongues 47 formed as an integral part thereof. These springtongues 47 cooperate with the front plate of the cover 38 to provide areleasable mounting of the circuit breaker in respective recesses 49 ofan electrical appliance 38' or even in any other suitable location.

Incidentally, a spring 48 normally urges the cocking body 5 and thecontact 6 in opposite directions while the spring 28 urges the cockingbody 5 and the unlatching lever 4 in opposite directions.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specificexample embodiments, it will be appreciated, that it is intended tocover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An equipment protecting compact electricalcircuit breaker having a narrow thickness, comprising housing means, abreaker mechanism including circuit breaker contact means mounted insaid housing means, a mechanical cockable drive for operating saidbreaker mechanism with its breaker contact means, said circuit breakerfurther comprising three separate release means including manual releasemeans, electromagnetic release means, and electrothermal release meansall operatively arranged for freely releasing said breaker mechanism, anarc quenching device, said breaker mechanism being located forcooperation with said arc quenching device for extinguishing a switchingarc, and further including an integrated signal changing switch, acombination of components including:(a) a cocking body (5) having aplurality of functional projections, (b) an unlatching lever (4), (c) amovable tilting contact piece (6), and (d) a cam lever (14) foractuating said signal changing switch in response to movement of saidcocking body (5),said circuit breaker further comprising a commonrotation axis for tiltably supporting said combination of components onsaid common rotation axis in said housing means, whereby said unlatchinglever cooperates with a first functional projection of said functionalprojections of said cocking body and said tilting contact piececooperates with a second functional projection of said functionalprojections, said circuit breaker further comprising first spring meansarranged for biasing said cocking body in an off-position, second springmeans for maintaining a spring bias between said unlatching lever andsaid first functional projection, and third spring means for maintaininga spring bias between said tilting contact piece and said secondfunctional projection.
 2. The equipment protecting circuit breaker ofclaim 1, wherein said manual release means comprise an operating toggletiltably supported in said housing means, a reset spring for resettingsaid toggle, an H-shaped coupling member for loosely coupling saidtoggle to one of said functional projections of said cocking body forforming a toggle joint, said coupling member having a crosswise insertedpressure pin.
 3. The equipment protecting circuit breaker of claim 1,wherein said manual release means comprise an operating toggle, andwherein said electromagnetic release means comprise a hinged armaturesystem having a tilting armature, a tension spring biasing said tiltingarmature, said hinged armature system including a magnetic yoke and anextension projecting beyond said magnetic yoke into a release zone of anarm of said unlatching lever, said electromagnetic release means beingarranged on a narrow side of said housing means adjacent to said breakermechanism and below said operating toggle.
 4. The equipment protectingcircuit breaker of claim 1, wherein said electrothermal release meanscomprise a bimetal strip arranged on a narrow side of said housing meansadjacent to said breaker mechanism, means rigidly and readjustablymounting one end of said bimetal strip in said housing means, saidbimetal strip having a free operating end, said unlatching lever havinganother arm with a bail shaped extension, said free operating end ofsaid bimetal strip being arranged opposite said bail shaped extension atthe other arm of said unlatching lever.
 5. The equipment protectingcircuit breaker of claim 4, wherein said movable tilting contact pieceincludes a switching arm, said breaker mechanism further includingflexible conductor means for electrically connecting said movabletilting contact piece to the free end of said bimetal strip, saidcircuit breaker contact means including a fixed contact piece, saidelectromagnetic release means comprising a hinged armature system and anexciter winding for said hinged armature system, said fixed contactpiece being directly connected with one end of said exciter winding ofsaid hinged armature system, said movable tilting contact piece and saidfixed contact piece forming a V-shaped blowing loop when the circuitbreaker is closing a circuit, said blowing loop becoming effective on aswitching arc when the circuit breaker opens the circuit, said arcquenching device comprising an arc quenching chamber, said switching arcrunning from a circuit interruption location between said contact piecesinto said arc quenching chamber.
 6. The equipment protecting circuitbreaker of claim 5, wherein said arc quenching chamber comprises aplurality of ferromagnetic quenching baffles arranged substantially inparallel to each other and supported in said housing means, said arcquenching chamber extending with a slant to below said hinged armaturesystem, said arc quenching chamber having gas exit slots at its rear,said quenching baffles having two lateral baffles, one of which extendsto form said fixed contact piece, while the other lateral baffle has anextension forming an electrically conducting connection with saidmounting means for said one end of said bimetal strip.
 7. The equipmentprotecting circuit breaker of claim 6, wherein said signal changingswitch comprises connecting terminals and fixed contact memberselectrically connected to said terminals extending out of said housingmeans, said signal changing switch being located between said quenchingchamber and said mounting means of said bimetal strip, said signalchanging switch further comprising a switch-over contact member locatedbetween said fixed contact members, said switch-over contact memberbeing constructed as a spring biased rocker member, said cocking bodyhaving a cam lever, whereby said rocker member is operable through saidcam lever by the respective rotational movement of said cocking body ofsaid breaker mechanism.
 8. The equipment protecting circuit breaker ofclaim 1, wherein said electromagnetic release means comprise a hingedarmature means comprising a current flow path within said circuitbreaker, said current flow path comprising the following elementsconnected electrically in series, a first connector terminal, an exciterwinding for said hinged armature means, a circuit interruption pathformed by said movable tilting contact piece and a fixed contact piecedirectly in front of said arc quenching device, a bimetal strip orresistor, and a second connector terminal, and wherein said signalchanging switch comprises two fixed contact terminals, a center contactand means for tilting said center contact in accordance with arespective breaker condition but electrically independently of thecircuit of the circuit breaker, from one fixed contact terminal to theother fixed contact terminal.
 9. The equipment protecting circuitbreaker of claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic release means comprisea hinged armature system with its connecting terminal, saidthermoelectric release means comprising a bimetal strip includingconnection and adjustment mounting means for electrothermally operatingsaid breaker mechanism, said arc quenching device comprising guide andquenching baffles partially in connection with said adjustment mountingmeans, and wherein said signal changing switch comprises a contactarrangement with its connection terminals, all of the just enumeratedcomponents being mounted on or within said housing means constructed asan insert, said circuit breaker further comprising a cover made ofinsulating material for said housing insert, said cover fully covering amounting side of said housing insert and reaching around both narrowsides of said housing insert, said manual release means furthercomprising an operating toggle for manually operating said breakermechanism, said cover having an opening in its top side through whichsaid operating toggle reaches and which cover holds, partially in amovable manner, said enumerated components and which cover also providesa touch protection for the circuit breaker.
 10. The equipment protectingcircuit breaker of claim 9, wherein said cover of insulating material,which is releasably engaging said housing insert at its backside, isprovided at its two narrow sides with spring tongues formed as part ofthe cover for holding said circuit breaker in a respective equipmentrecess.